Two New Footing Solutions







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The Perfect Arena Footing...does it exist?
We hear a lot of debate about the perfect arena surface and footing material. Every few years’ new footings come around claiming to be “it”. But if the perfect footing does exist then why are the products continually changing? We have done our share of research over many years and in many different arenas. While there are many opinions involved they are more about personal preference, riding disciplines, breed, and climate than about actual footing material, sand, and installation.

Yes, the perfect arena footing does exist.
A "perfect" arena surface should be cushioned to minimize concussion on horse legs, firm enough to provide traction, not too slick, dust free, retain moisture and not overly abrasive to horse hooves. The arena surface should be resistant to freezing during cold weather, inexpensive to obtain and easy to maintain. A good example of an ideal surface would be sod. However the sod must contain the proper amount of moisture, maximum root depth with the grass blades spaced evenly. Sod allows the horse hoof to indent on impact offering cushioning, yet when the hoof pushes off, the sod provides a firm resistance to propel his gait or jump. Unfortunately sod will not hold up in a small area, so unless you have many acres, sod is not going to be the “perfect” option.

It’s all relative.
The primary principle of selecting footing is to choose materials that maintain their loose nature without compacting while still providing stability and traction for riding. The major component of most footing is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay particles. The range of these particle sizes is the first key component. Materials with particles that are all the same size cannot compact, while materials consisting of different particle sizes causes the smallest particles fill the gaps and promotes compaction..

Not-So-Sharp.
Aggregate particle shape is another key component. Sharply angular materials (like manufactured sand or stone dust) are more prone to compaction than sub-angular particles. Sub-angular particles have already had the sharpest corners broken off so they do not fit as tightly together as sharp angular materials. Sub-angular particles will be relatively stable because they can nest together without rolling, and will resist compaction as the rounded edges have voids between them. Particles need some angularity to offer resistance to movement.

On a roll.
Round particles (such as river or beach sand) create more voids and resist compaction, but because they are round they have poor stability causing the sand to roll and shift. Beach and river sand have rounded particles; the wear of water action has removed most angular corners. Round sands have more stability when moisture is added.

Footing Additives. What are they for?
Footing additives, like Premier Equestrian ProStride, GGT Arena Footing, ProTex and Hyrdo-Keep, can help stabilize, maintain moisture, and add cushioning to your footing which greatly improves your riding surface.

So…. the Perfect Arena Footing?
Arena depth and surface performance is determined by many factors; material, additives and particle sizes, how compactable the material is, and at what depth it is set. Footing that is too deep can cause soft tissue injuries i.e. tendons, stifles, and suspensory problems. It can also negatively impact your horses cardiovascular system and cause undue fatigue. Arena footing that is too hard can cause contusions. The perfect arena utilizes the best available materials to minimize these issues.

Determining if arena is too deep or too hard. The indentation that the hoof prints makes should be between 1/2" - 1'.  Photo 1 Illustrates a surface that is too deep, indentation is 2.5".

Too deep or loose arena surface; For deep footing start by removing some of the sand. If sand is made up of round particles this will also have the same effect as too deep of footing, causing shear and loss of traction for the hoof. Solutions for this type of footing would be GGT Textile or ProTex. Both products will stabilize the surface, bind the sand together as well as aid in moisture retention and dust control. ProTex will add an additional layer of cushioning with the added rubber particles. See Photo below showing same surface after removing sand and adding ProTex Arena Footing.

Compacted hard surfaces. Stone dust and sharp angulated sands that have compacted will benefit greatly by adding ProStride rubber arena footing. The rubber crumb will mix with the sharp angulated particles and create a void, thus providing cushioning and keep the surface from compacting.

Dusty Sand; Footing that possesses sub-angular particles and small fines, can easily become dusty. This type of footing will benefit by adding Premier Equestrian Hydro-Keep, a safe, non-toxic chemical crystal that rapidly absorbs and retains water. As the soil dries out, the water in the Hydro-Keep is gradually released, rehydrating the surrounding area. Our research shows it can also reduce your arena watering by 50%. The Hydro-Keep expands when watered and then contracts as the water is released over time. An added benefit provides additional cushion and reduces compaction.

Round, shifty sand; Sand that is round and therefore not very stable can benefit from adding GGT Textile. This new European additive now made in the US, will absorb small fines bind the sand particles together adding stability while reducing dust.GGT Textile mixed in the sand enhances traction and reduces shear. Shear is the twisting motion of the horse’s hoof and hock in an unstable surface. 

Sand quality and specifications

Why is the right sand so important?

Choosing the correct sand for your arena.

Choosing the correct sand for your arena may not be as easy as it seems. Most of us are limited to what is available in our area. Trucking sand in from long distances can be extremely costly. So we usually settle for what is available to us locally. This is where footing additives can help solve many of the dilemmas associated with local sand.

Fines.

Fines, clay and silt can be very small and promote dust. The size of the fines in this photo are between .075mm #200 sieve - .15mm #100 sieve. If you have fines, our GGT Textile footing can help absorb the fines and net the footing together, greatly decreasing dust and loose particles that can be such an annoyance, and even a health hazard. To learn more about our GGT Textile horse arena footing, click here.

Masonry Sand.

Concrete Sand.

Concrete sand is usually angular to sub angular in shape. The particle size varies between 2.0mm #10 sieve - .3mm #50 sieve. ProStride and ProTex arena footing will help keep these type of sands from compacting, creating voids and adding cushioning to the surface.

Sand Particle Shape

The second most important component is aggregate particle shape. Sharp angular materials i.e. manufactured sand or stone dust are more prone to compaction, yet drain well and have good traction. Sub angular particles have had edges broken off or worn down, so they don't fit as tight together leaving voids in the surface, reducing compaction. Round particles will roll, and not compact because all the edges have been worn off, therefore creating more voids. Round particles have more voids, therefore offering more cushioning, however they are very unstable and will not provide any traction. Particles need some angularity to offer resistance to movement between them.

For new construction arenas.
Building a professional base is always best. However, this can be very expensive and in today's economy not always possible. If you have the funds to build a professional base, you will have more options for what types of footing you can use, and your arena will perform much better over a long period of time. Again you may be limited to what sands and aggregates are available in your area. To determine what type of footing you will want on the top coat, get different samples for your local pits. See the suggestions above for the different sand types and footing additives.

For existing arenas.
If your base is not perfect or if you are not able to install a professional base. There are some options for you to improve your riding surface. Adding GGT Textile footing can help stabilize, and improve traction for arenas that do not have a perfect base. The right type of sand mixed with GGT Textile, can create a barrier that will support the hoof, minimizing the indentation into the surface. This mixture will certainly help arenas that have poor bases, broken down and dusty fines or deep surfaces. Sand size suggestions are .3mm - .6mm subangular shape for GGT footing. If you have fines, the GGT Textile will absorb some of these small particles and reduce dust. If you have larges particles look at either ProStride or ProTex.